Coming Clean
by skygirl55
Summary: Post 8x15 one-shot. Castle & Beckett reveal the truth to their loved ones.
_A/N: This was previously posted on my tumblr, and is now being cross-posted on here per request_

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"Excuse me, everyone—if I could have your attention please." Richard Castle cleared his throat as he stood up from his PI desk and gazed out across the room at his family, friends and coworkers. He clasped his hands together and addressed them, looking at his mother, daughter, Ryan, Esposito, and Lanie in turn. "First and foremost I want to thank you for coming here despite my…vague invitation."

"Oh good, is he finally going to tell us what's going on?" Lanie chimed in, addressing her law enforcement cohorts.

Her former boyfriend scoffed. "Seriously."

"Yes, of course I'm going to tell you, but I'm not done thanking you yet," Castle said with a nod in her direction. "I know the past few months have been…strange to say the least. I've been trying to grow my PI business with help from my beautiful daughter." He paused to acknowledge Alexis, who beamed at him. "And my personal life…well, I've had some changes, but I'm entering a new chapter and I would like to celebrate that all with you. So a toast!"

Castle grabbed his tumbler of scotch from his desk and raised it above his head. When everyone in the room had done similarly with their glasses, he said, "To great friends—and to the future."

"Here here!" Martha chimed in.

"So you brought us here for a drink?" Esposito asked. "We could have done that at The Old Haunt."

"Not exactly." Castle countered. "I invited you here to thank you…and so you could all meet Svetlana."

The room exploded with discord and complaints. Mercifully, the writer was able to keep his expression calm and not ruin the big moment of reveal.

"Svetlana are you kidding me?!"

"Beckett is our friend! We already told her we're on her side in the divorce!"

"Richard, darling, are you sure you're not being too hasty?"

"Guys, guys!" Castle finally said, his voice booming above their grievances. "Whoa, slow down. Don't you want to meet her? And, please, at least have an open mind."

Though he was met with a room full of grumbles, Castle reached behind him and pulled down the faux novel that was actually the lever to open the door to his PI office's secret room. There, standing in the middle of the opening doorway, stood Beckett, a drink already in her hand. She smiled at the quintet of open jaws, raised her glass and said, "Surprise!"

Beaming, Castle reached out his arm and she stepped willingly underneath it.

After twenty seconds of silence, it was Lanie who asked, "What's…happening? Did you guys _fake_ this whole breakup because girl I swear to god!"

"Why would you do this to us!?" Ryan insisted, clearly wounded. "We really thought you broke up."

"It's…a long story." Castle glanced over to his wife. They had previously agreed that she would be the one to tell the Cliff's Notes version of their tale. For the safety—and sanity—of their loved ones, they weren't going to reveal everything they'd gone through in the prior few months, just the most important parts.

"The simple answer is: it has to do with a case. This case it's…big. And dangerous. That's why we've kept you in the dark until now. That's why we made everyone think we weren't together anymore—because it's so dangerous. But we've hit a point now that there's no going back from. We're moving forward with this case together and so it was time to start telling the truth."

Kate paused and looked at each one of the people she cared for the most. "We're very sorry to have deceived you and we hope that you can forgive us. It was, perhaps, not our best decision, but please know we were doing this to protect you."

"What case is this, Beckett?" Esposito asked.

The captain shook her head. "We're not bringing you in on the case; it's too dangerous."

"Bullshit, Beckett," he responded.

"Yeah," Ryan chimed in. "After making us think…you owe us. Besides, we can help; we want to help."

Kate said nothing as she glanced tentatively up at her husband. She figured at the very least the boys would want in—her partners from the beginning, they never did shy away from any cases she brought their way, least of all the dangerous ones. Still, they agreed not to bring them in. It didn't feel right, not when they were virtually guaranteed to end up in a sniper's crosshairs.

"It's dangerous; deadly." Castle added.

"Well then I've heard more than enough." Martha announced. She quickly finished her glass of wine and walked over to give Kate a hug. "I never had any doubt you two would find your way through this."

"Thanks Martha." Kate whispered as she returned the elder woman's embrace.

"Alexis."

Despite her father's warning or perhaps in spite of it, the young red-head held her ground. "No, Dad. I don't want to be shut out from any of this. It has to do with what happed in LA last week, doesn't it? That wasn't about your missing time at all, was it?"

"Actually," he countered, "it was."

"It's all connected." Kate added.

Once Martha left the five remaining people in the PI office all took seats and faced each other. Kate gave her husband one last tentative look, but with his reassuring smile she turned back to the group and began, "We don't know his real name yet, but he goes by LokSat…"


End file.
